There are four types of elementals, each corresponding to the basic elements of the world: earth, fire, wind, and water. Each elemental tends to be immune to damage from their element type. For instance, fire elementals are immune to fire damage.

Some have innate abilities; many resist (or are immune to) attacks from the element with which they are affiliated.

A large number of Elementals look similar to the Voidwalker; for example, many Fire Elementals use orange, flaming Voidwalker models.

Often found close to environments that resemble their elements; water elementals are often found on coastlines and in lakes, fire elementals are often found close to lava or areas which has suffered from fire, stone elementals are often found in hills and inside caves, and air elementals are often found in windy areas like steppes and deserts.

When the Old Gods were defeated and imprisoned by the Titans, the Titans banished all elementals to the Elemental Plane. The Elemental Plane is a violent and dangerous place where elementals of one type battle with all others in a never-ending conflict to expand their territory. It is no wonder, then, that some elementals attempt to escape from the unceasing struggle by traveling to Azeroth, where they establish solitary lairs in suitable environments. Such transplanted elementals find it difficult to shake off the warlike existence they lived on the Elemental Plane; they guard their new territory viciously and constantly seek to expand their boundaries.

Over the centuries, they have been finding ways to return to Azeroth, and now run rampant in many areas, though it's usually only the weakest of their ranks that are able to slip through the "cracks". All but the most powerful elementals are mindless beings, who carry out tasks at the whim of their masters. Recently however, more and more elementals have begun appearing on Azeroth, serving an as yet unidentified purpose.

There are many similarities between the elemental spirits of Draenor and their counterparts on Azeroth, but also many differences that Alliance or Horde shaman will be forced to adapt to. Whereas the elements of Azeroth are in constant conflict, the elements of Draenor strive for balance within themselves. This is especially evident in the Throne of Elements in Nagrand, where the greatest elemental furies of Draenor have convened peacefully since the dawn of the world. Be warned, however: if the chaos of war on Draenor throws the elements out of balance, they may lash out at each other... and anyone caught between them.

All elementals speak Kalimag, a mysterious language. They also seem to have a complex royal power hierarchy. The most powerful elemental beings have titles such as Baron, Lord, and Duke. The closest, most powerful offspring of the Elemental Lieutenants are even known as Princes and Princesses. The elements have also historically been slaves to the evil Old Gods however recently, they have broken away from their rule resulting in the four lieutenants(True Elemental leaders) finding new ways to wage war against each other, and it's possible that one or more of their factions are working for the good of Azeroth. Though they fight each other, they still maintain an Abyssal High Council. Whether summoned to Azeroth or there of their own free will, wear a set of magic bracers. These bracers form automatically when the elemental leaves the Elemental Plane. They tie the elemental to Azeroth and allow it to exist outside of the Elemental Plane. If the magic of the bracer's is disrupted, usually by prolonged physical or magical attack, the elemental loses much of its power and may inadvertently return to the Elemental Plane.MG 53

Shamans are known to be the masters of Conjuration of Elementals, attempting to study/understand the mysterious elemental plane. Also, many peoples and societies hold elementals to a religious regard with the shamans acting as priests. Some intelligent creatures of Azeroth have found ways to summon elementals and bind them to their will as servants or guards. Humanmages are fond of summoning Water Elementals for their brute force and imposing size. Ragnaros was summoned into the material plane by the Dark Iron Dwarves three centuries ago, and now resides in the Molten Core, though he is but a shadow of his original self there. When he was first summoned into Azeroth by Sorcerer-thane Thaurissan, the dwarf was killed by the unmitigated fiery powers that he had unleashed.

Mana surges are a magic-based elementals which are a type of air elementalsMG 101; described as "burning elementals crafted of pure mana", They exist in Azeroth as physical manifestations of pure arcane magic, or even of mana energy itself.

Denalan, the botanist and questqiver NPC in Darnassus, notes that timberlings are connected to the land around them: "The Timberlings are elementals of nature. In some ways they reflect the natural order of the plants and animals on our great tree." Brann also describes thistleshrubs as plant elementals.LoM #? Tar beasts are conglomerate elementals of earth and water.MG #?

Some types of golems are mechanical constructs and are classified as elementals in World of Warcraft. They can be found in many places, mostly around Dark Iron dwarf lairs. You can find them in Darkshore (Cracked Golems), the Badlands (Siege Golems, War Golems and Stone Golems) and in the Searing Gorge (Heavy War Golems).

Note that in lore these are not elementals at all, but a type of large construct (although some may be held together or powered through elementals). Application of elemental in game is for game mechanics.

Ancients are huge plant creatures, relatives of the treants and other plant creatures. Often affiliated with night elves, these gigantic treefolk occasionally fall sway to demonic corruption and become twisted, hateful versions of their former selves. Ivus the Forest Lord is also a ancient who is found in Alterac Valley.

Note that in lore these are not elementals at all, but a type of huge to gargantuan plant, application of elemental in game is for game mechanics.

The Primordial Essence are probably a group of elementals that, instead of focusing on common elements like fire and air, focus on unique aspects of nature like the night and poison. One such example in-game is Murmur, the essence of sound.

Note that they may not be elementals but in fact elemental-like beings. Murmur may only be listed as a elemental for game mechanics.